Design Magazine · May 2026
Tim Jetis has been making things that are difficult to categorise for thirty years. The work comes out of Cabinet of Wonder, his Sydney studio, and takes many forms: films, books, installations, identities. It tends to start with a question about culture or place rather than a brief.
His short film Spiritchaser won recognition at the New York Indie Film Festival and the Asian Region Film Festival. A Meeting of Words, a hand-bound typographic book made with printer Theo Pettaras, earned the Type Directors Club New York’s Award for Typographic Excellence and was exhibited at the Australian Design Centre. He co-organised and exhibited at Outpost, Venice Biennial. He coordinated the art department at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop across three feature films. He has developed creative identities for Sydney Mardi Gras, Vivid Sydney, and Tourism Australia, and has led brand and communications work for the Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals at a national level.
His awards include the Mohawk Awards (2x Silver), the National Print Awards for Best Illustration and Best Print, and the Type Directors Club Award for Typographic Excellence. He has taught at Billy Blue College of Design for fifteen years.
His view on what makes design worth doing is not complicated: “Design is not decoration. It is a way of thinking — and when done well, it shapes understanding, not just appearance.”
On joining the panel: “Recognising work on merit, without barriers, creates space for voices that might otherwise be overlooked. That feels worth supporting.”
The Design Magazine Awards 2026 are free to enter, blind-judged, and open worldwide. Early entry closes 31 July 2026.
Tim Jetis · Creative Director, Cabinet of Wonder · Sydney cabinetofwonder.com · @_cabinetofwonder
